<a href="/f1" class="sdc-site-localnav__header-title" data-role="nav-header" aria-controls="sdc-site-localnav-body" aria-expanded="false"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 34 34" class="sdc-site-localnav__icon"> <path d="M6.02 12.67c.01.194.087.362.247.525l.188.192L16.52 23.45c.188.19.44.294.706.294s.518-.104.707-.293l10.135-10.134.123-.126c.162-.163.24-.332.248-.53.006-.173-.155-.438-.442-.725-.187-.187-.386-.368-.59-.537-.05-.04-.096-.078-.138-.11l-.496.495-9.193 9.193-.355.354-.354-.354-9.197-9.198-.484-.484c-.043.033-.09.07-.14.112-.204.168-.402.348-.59.536-.285.288-.446.553-.44.727z" /> </svg>F1 </a> <br>Lewis Hamilton qualified eighth for the Australian GP in his qualifying debut for Ferrari; team-mate Charles Leclerc was seventh in a disappointing team display; <strong>watch the season-opening Australian GP live on Sky Sports F1 at 4am on Sunday, with a full race replay at 8am</strong><br>Saturday 15 March 2025 09:07, UK<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>Lewis Hamilton has admitted he thought he was "further along" in his adjustment to driving for Ferrari after qualifying in eighth for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.<br>The seven-time world champion joined the Italian team after 12 seasons with Mercedes and had repeatedly stated ahead of his first campaign with Ferrari that he would need time to adjust.<br>However, he admitted after Saturday's display at Albert Park that his first race weekend sessions in the SF-25 have been even more difficult than anticipated.<br>Hamilton said: "I honestly thought I was further along than I was and then I got here for P1, and I was like, 'I still got a way to go.'<br>"There's still a ton of tools that I'm still not there on."<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>Hamilton's own challenge was made more difficult by the fact that Ferrari, having looked like McLaren's main competitors on Friday, dropped off the pace on Saturday.<br>The reigning constructors' champions claimed a front-row lockout as Lando Norris beat Oscar Piastri, while Hamilton shares the fourth row with his team-mate Charles Leclerc, who could only manage seventh.<br> Stream every F1 race with NOW <br> When to watch Australian GP on Sky <br> Which F1 team has best 2025 line-up? <br> Ted Kravitz answers the big new season questions <br>Watch F1 races live on the Sky Sports app... with highlights, commentary, onboards and battle channel<br>Hamilton's individual struggles were highlighted by the fact he had to use an extra set of soft tyres to get through Q1 and was then somewhat fortunate to advance from Q2 after spinning in the closing stages.<br>The 40-year-old referenced his former Mercedes race engineer Peter 'Bono' Bonnington as he explained the struggles he had in adjusting the setup of his car.<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>He said: "When you have a problem in the car and you come in, normally when you've got the experience, you can say, 'Hey, this is where I want to go with it.'<br>"But I don't know which tools to use at the moment. I'm heavily reliant, for the first time, on my engineers.<br>"They've done a great job but in the past I would say, 'Bono, this is what I want. That setting, this setting.' And I can't do that at the moment."<br>Hamilton admitted that he was surprised by Ferrari's overall lack of pace, which saw them finish behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Mercedes' George Russell, but more surprisingly Williams' Alex Albon and Racing Bulls' Yuki Tsunoda.<br>He told <em>Sky Sports F1</em>: "I definitely didn't know that we'd be eight tenths off today but there is a lot to dissect for sure."<br>The biggest consolation Hamilton could take from his first qualifying session in red was that he ultimately finished only a couple of tenths back from Leclerc, who had appeared to hold a bigger advantage over him for most of practice.<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>On the gap, Hamilton said: "Charles has been in this team for seven years, he knows this car in and out. Not necessarily the new one but the general characteristics of our cars and all the tools and everything.<br>"I'm still learning those so to be that close in my first qualifying session, I'll definitely take it. We'll just get our heads down and start working trying to find out why we're not on pace with the front-runners."<br>Leclerc also said he was surprised by the way Ferrari's pace fell away on Saturday.<br>He told <em>Sky Sports F1</em>: "Yes, I am. Not totally surprised with the feeling I got in Q3 but surprised overall after a day like we had (on Friday) where everything went smoothly.<br>"The car felt pretty OK but Q3 I found myself with a different car and I don't really know why. We've got to look into it."<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>Leclerc's seventh and Hamilton's eighth means Ferrari have suffered their worst qualifying result at a season-opener since 2020.<br>"Obviously, we can't be satisfied with today's qualifying result. We didn't look too bad in Q1 and Q2, as we were one-to-two tenths off the McLarens," said team principal Frederic Vassuer.<br>"However, in Q3 we didn't do a good job because we didn't manage to run at the same pace as our opponents, and as a result, we find ourselves in positions that do not reflect our true potential.<br>"Tomorrow's race could be a completely different scenario, as our pace was good yesterday and the forecast is for rain. The points are handed out tomorrow and we must do a good job now, preparing every last detail.<br>"I really believe we have the potential to bring home plenty of points."<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br><strong>Sunday March 16</strong><br><em>*Also on Sky Sports Main Event</em><br><strong>Watch all 24 race weekends from the 2025 Formula 1 season live on <em>Sky Sports F1</em>, starting with the Australian GP on Sunday. <a href="https://www.nowtv.com/watch-sky-sports-online?DCMP=ilc_skysports_nc_articlelink">Stream Sky Sports with NOW - No contract, cancel anytime</a></strong><br>Watch F1 races live on the Sky Sports app... with highlights, commentary, onboards and battle channel<br> <a href="/" class="svg-logo site-footer__site-logo"> <img class="svg-logo__image" alt="Sky Sports" src="https://e0.365dm.com/tvlogos/channels/Sky-Sports-Logo.svg" onerror="this.onerror=null;this.src='https://e0.365dm.com/tvlogos/channels/Sky-Sports-Logo.png'"> </a> © 2025 Sky UK <br><br><a href="https://news.google.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?oc=5">source</a>
